Immortal Fire
by AlexandraP
Summary: After Edward left Bella alone in the forest, something happened to her, something changed her. Six months later, everything is different and Bella is awaiting their return...his return. She only hopes he isn't too late...You have to read to find out!
1. To Return: An Introduction

Bella ran silently through the woods, smoothly winding between the giant, towering trees; her movements flawless. Her body, now morphed into a speeding blur, sustained the rapid tempo effortlessly until she finally reached her destination. She bent undetected behind the protection of one of the enormous, feathery shrubs on the forest floor and peered into the familiar house in front of her. No movement could be seen inside of the house from where she was crouching and she felt her heart drop in disappointment. But refusing to give up, Bella forced the stubbornness inside of her from its hiding place, willing herself to be patient for a moment longer; she had time. For them…she had _eternity_. What seemed like forever slowly crept by her and the sky soon settled itself into the night. An unnecessary breath rushed out of her chest as she stood slowly from her hiding place and turned her back on the house in defeat. Bella lifted her chin towards the sky and basked in the moonlight, feeling it illuminate the pale skin on her face. The breeze swept through the forest softly, sending the branches of the trees swaying and brushing together in unison. She ran a hand through her long, dark hair weakly and glided forward hesitantly, reluctant to leave the comfort of this place.

For months she had been returning to this spot, in hope that they had come back for her. She thought for sure when Alice could no longer see her future that they would grow concerned and return to at least make sure she was safe, but they never came. Every night for the past six months she had visited the house, awaiting their arrival and every night a flame of hope faded inside of her as she realized that they were never coming back; she was alone. The loneliness she was used to, it had become a part of her life now. She'd had to learn how to embrace the independence from within ever since he had left her in the woods on that devastating day. It still hurt her insides to think about it, but the pain was different now somehow. It no longer clawed and scratched at her middle, threatening to rip her apart. Instead it only burned, deep in the pit of her stomach, igniting her soul and setting her cold, stone skin ablaze. When she pictured his face, she felt as if every part of her body would burn, until it turned to ash and fell to the floor, only to be swept away.

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Of course, I own nothing of the Twilight series, I only aim to honor it and I sure hope I am doing a good job.

REVIEW PLEASE...I love suggestions so don't be afraid to speak up, I don't bite...promise

You know you love me,

AlexandraP

PS You'll find out who changed her in the next chapter I post...it's going to be a flashback of sorts


	2. Chapter 1: Rebirth

**Six Months Ago…**

The sky began to spin above her as she tilted her head back to watch as the rain began to fall, bringing her world along with it as it crashed down onto the ground around her. Silent tears disguised themselves as rain as they slid down her cheeks and she pushed herself further into the woods, ignoring the cold that now drenched her. She stumbled up the path clumsily, tripping over the exposed roots of a nearby tree and gave in to the gravity that tugged at her limbs eagerly and forced her down onto the soil. Her body lay motionless on top of the muddy, damp ground as thoughts of him flashed and seared through her mind.

Rain spattered onto the many leaves of the tree above her. The droplets slipped slowly from the smooth, green surfaces and down into her eyes, blurring her vision. She welcomed the loss of sight, begging the sky to stop spinning; yearning for the pain that now tore at her center to subside. Bella flicked her lids open and shut, forcing the mix of rain and tears from her eyes. The beat of rain on the tree's above mirrored the slow and steady beat of her heart as she lay on the mud-covered floor of the forest, willing it all away. The chill that had soaked her through now radiated from her bones; it began to reach the rest of her body and she shivered as she pulled her knee's to her chest; an attempt to shut out the cold.

Behind her, past the echoes of the rain pouring down around her, Bella heard the faintest sound of a twig snapping. Paralyzed by the cold, she ignored the sound, unwilling to turn around. Everything else in the world seemed insignificant now that he was gone; including her will to live.

Sharp nails pierced the fragile skin of her wrists and Bella screamed out in agony. Her eyes widened in horror as the set of nails dug deeper into her flesh and crimson, red blood spilled from her arms onto the ground. Familiar icy breath nipped frostily at the warm skin on the back of her neck and burned as it trickled down the rest of her spine. Soft whimpers vibrated up and through Bella's lungs as she desperately fought off the sobs threatening to escape from her throat. She could feel the indention of a small, stone hard body from behind her as it pressed up against her own, fragile form.

In one fluid movement, the sharp nails had retracted from underneath her skin and disappeared from view. A pair of thin, strong arms came from out of nowhere and snapped Bella up from her place on the ground, sending her flying, helplessly into the thick trunk of a towering tree nearby. Her thin body slid down the tree roughly, pieces of bark flaking off from the force of the impact. She fell back onto the ground with a limp thud and slumped into a puddle on the forest floor. The metallic taste of blood rose from within her lungs and crept into her mouth. She coughed loudly, taking a sharp intake of breath and coughed once more, blood spattering into the puddle beneath her. Dipping in and out of consciousness, her eyes fluttered open and shut. Her wrists continued to gush and the loss of blood made her dizzy; she pressed her wrists against her stomach, attempting to stop the current. Shivers wracked her body in uncontrollable waves as she strained to regain focus.

Wearily, she raised her head and forced herself to look at the maddening face of her predator. Her eye's widened in horror as she took in the image of wild, fire like hair whipping and lashing around catlike bone structure. As the woman stared back at her, flames ignited the depths of her eyes. Bella gasped, attempting to stifle her cries as she took in the looming sight of Victoria standing before her, teeth bared and glistening sharply.

A small, sadistic smile crept onto the vampire's lips and she stepped towards her, never tearing her eyes away. Leaning down over Bella, she clasped a strong hand around her throat and slid her up against the tree, the rough texture snagging and ripping at her long hair. Her deathly pale hand clenched the girl's small neck even tighter as Victoria neared her face and looked into her frightened eyes. Bella flinched as the icy chill of her breath hit her face, making her light headed,

"What a shame Edward couldn't be here to see this," she sang inhumanly, her voice uncomfortably sweet. The vampire brought one of Bella's wrists to her open mouth slowly and bit the wound vigorously. Bella cried out in pain, barely able to stay conscious at the sight of her own blood beginning to run further down her arm. Victoria merely pulled away and closed her eyes. A shocking look of serenity masking the vampire's elegant features as she let the rain wash the blood off of her face. Bella watched her in horror and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to ignore the burning sensation of the scalding hot flames now blazing through her arm. Victoria's eyes shot open and she released her powerful grip from its place on Bella's throat. Her body fell back to the ground harshly, causing her head to smack against the tree and her skull throbbed painfully. Bella clamped an instinctive hand over the bite wound on her left wrist and pressed down firmly, resisting the urge to claw at the agonizing sensation she knew was coming. Victoria only laughed at Bella's desperate efforts to stop the hurt and turned away from her coldly. One last time the bright flash of orange flickered across Bella's vision and she was gone. Off in the distance she could hear the bellowing sound of her laughs echoing loudly and then they faded, back into the sound of the steady, beating rain.

Bella slunk back down against the tree, her breaths growing shallow. The flames inside her arm grew more intense and she thrashed around on the earth violently, frantic to escape the pain. Thoughts of him flashed before her eyes momentarily until she finally drifted into the darkness, only to awake as someone else.

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**As always, I completely admit that I own nothing of the Twilight series.**

**Please, when you get done reading this story, and you LIKE it…REVIEW!**

**I absolutely appreciate each and every single review, the positive and critical alike.**

**You know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**


	3. Chapter 2: A Lonely Awakening

"_Wake up Bella," _the angel like voice sang beautifully in her ears, _pleading_ her, _urging _her to rise. Her eye lids twitched in response, attempting to open back up to the world. She could feel the cold on her fingertips and the soft, damp ground beneath her still. She was alive; she could hear the trees swaying and the birds flapping their wings overhead.

"_Come back to me Bella."_ His velvety voice shook her thoughts once more, awakening her from sleep. Her eyes flicked open and a wave of fear came crashing over her as she studied the brilliant green of her surroundings. Edward's comforting voice echoed richly off the walls of her mind and she shivered; the pain of his absence still fresh. Vivid images of fire red hair paired with a set of sharp, glistening white teeth flashed in front of her eyes and she clutched the sides of her head desperately, attempting to dull the stabs of the graphic memories. Bella shook her head sharply as each image forcefully presented itself. A small howl escaped from her parted lips as the last of the reflections played through her mind, the pain finally subsiding. She placed her face into a pair of strange cold hands, cringing at the truth of her gruesome revelation; she was _dead_.

Grief overwhelmed her as she rose with surprising grace from her place on the muddy ground, her own blood swirling in the grimy puddle beneath her. She could smell the age of the blood as it sat stagnant in the pool of water below. Her throat burned in response to the enticing odor and her nostrils flared; an involuntary lust for the pungent scent. The thought of drinking blood repulsed and allured her all at once, forcing her to admit her now threatening hunger. Thirst overwhelmed her and she became suddenly repulsed with the foreign urge. Nothing about her new body felt normal or familiar and she longed for him to be there. Her senses raged with attentiveness she was not used to and she struggled to grasp their intensity. Without him here, she couldn't understand a thing about her new body. Bella sighed, feeling helpless.

She began to analyze her surroundings, desperate to remember where she was. But even if she did figure it out, where was she going to go? She couldn't very well go home, not now, not like this. Bella spun around frantically, feeling as if she were about to cry. The sadness filled her chest and pressed upon her still heart, but her eyes remained dry, unable to express her intense feelings. She couldn't even _cry_? What kind of immortal gift stole your ability to cry? Anger consumed her as she took off running under the looming canopy of trees. She began to pick up speed quickly, weaving through the through the forest without struggle. For what must have been thirty minutes she ran like this, no hesitation in her step, no idea where she was going. The anger pumped through her veins like poison, pushing her forward and driving her further. Finally, as if her body had been drained of all energy, she stopped, falling forward on her knees. She shoved her face into her hands and fell onto the support of her arms on the dampened ground. A loud cry of agony ripped from her chest as the feelings of despair and sheer loneliness began to set in. She forced another breath in and screamed out once more, louder this time. Dry sobs shook her body and she pounded the ground beneath her. She had _no one_. She fought to regain composure, tucking her hair behind her ears instinctively as she stood up from her place on the ground.

Her brow furrowed slightly as she began to think of what to do. Edward had left her on Monday. The changing process took three days, she knew this. That meant it was only Thursday, which in turn meant Charlie was still at work. She had enough time to get home and grab some things before she actually left for good. _Think Bella, think._ Calmly, she shut her eyes, attempting to focus all of her energy on listening. The sound of birds singing hit her first and she tried once more, broadening her range of hearing. This time she heard cars, traveling fast on the highway. A tinge of hope filled her up and she strained to grasp the direction from which the sounds were coming from; a few more seconds and she finally had it, they were coming from her left. Bella's eyes shot open instantaneously and she took off towards the beautiful sound of the cars.

--**I do not own the wonderful series of Twilight, unfortunately, but hopefully this will keep you entertained until the wonderful next book 'Breaking Dawn' finally graces us with it's presence August 2****nd****. I can hardly wait can you?**

**By the way, I have a lot of people alerting my story, but not a lot of people reviewing…hint, hint: The more you REVIEW, the more and the QUICKER I will WRITE! **

**So at that, I urge you to please, please, **_**please**_** review! **

**You know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**

**PS**

**Sorry this chapter was so short. I promise the next one will be longer**!


	4. Chapter 3: The Goodbye

She froze in her tracks, having finally reached the edge of the forest. It took her all of five minutes to get there and she was still having a hard time getting used to her new abilities. The familiar sight of Charlie's small house caught her off guard and she grabbed at her chest, anxious to keep herself together. Her eyes flicked around the area cautiously, determined to make sure the coast was clear. If anyone else saw her now, she wouldn't be able to control herself and she couldn't bear to live for eternity knowing she had taken the life of another. Once the last car had passed by the house, she took off across the lawn quickly, a mere blur of white skin. Carefully, she jumped onto the porch, landing silently. She quickly snatched the spare house key from underneath of the welcome mat and unlocked the front door in one swift motion. Closing the door shut softly behind her, she entered the living room of the familiar house and breathed in its comforting scent. A small smile masked her face as she took in the house's appearance, the same as it always had been. Despair overcame her as she forced herself to do what she knew she had to. She dashed up the stairs, to the door of her room, walking slowly now. Her hand grazed the cool metal of her door knob lightly and she paused for a moment, allowing her hand to rest on the small fixture. A useless breath filled her lungs and she sighed deeply, anticipating her final moments in this house. Finally, she twisted the knob with little effort, allowing the door to swing open before her. She walked into the memorable room and sat on the bed, admiring the soft texture of her comforter. It pained her to remember all of the times Edward had crawled through that very window and she stood up suddenly, urgent to leave as quickly as possible.

Searching underneath of her bed she immediately located her large duffle bag and began to shove various articles of her clothing inside of it. She removed the old picture of her mother and Charlie from its picture frame and folded it in half once, securely placing it in her jacket pocket. A white piece of paper that had been placed neatly on her nightstand caught her eye and she walked over curiously to pick it up. The handwriting scrawled onto the page was elegant and flowing; Edward. She read the note anxiously, hoping he had finally come back for her. But as she read on, her face only dropped in further disappointment. He had left the note the day he left _her_.

_Charlie_

_Went for a walk with Edward, please don't worry, I'll be back soon. _

_Love, Bells_

She felt her chest sink in response, her breathing coming to a complete stop as she tried to control her emotions. How had no one found her? It made no sense; Edward had left a note for her, why hadn't anyone come looking for her when she never came home that night? Bella's head swirled and she became dizzy, clutching onto the side of her night stand for support. The wood of the small furniture broke off in flakes onto the ground underneath her strong grasp and she drew back, frightened at her own power. Trying to regain her composure, she flew to her window, eager to see the street. There sat Charlie's cruiser, still parked in front of the house. Why hadn't she noticed that earlier? Her ice cold blood froze within her veins and she spun around smoothly, making a mad dash for her father's room. She burst through his door, becoming suddenly very scared at what she would find. Everything in his room seemed to be strangely in order, as if he hadn't been here in…_Three days_. Her world came crashing down around her as she connected the series of events. As she glanced around his room frantically, she noticed his uniform still on the hanger, dangling from the top of his door. Her nostrils twitched suspiciously, suddenly aware of the strange scent that lingered faintly in the air. She narrowed her eyes, impulsively alert, as the instant recognition of the scent hit her; Victoria. Desperation filled her as she ran out of Charlie's room, determined to find an explanation for it all. As she descended the stairs another slip of paper caught her once more. She moved towards it slowly, afraid of what she would find this time.

_Bella_

_I knew you'd come back. Now you can know exactly how it feels to spend eternity alone…I thought the only courteous thing to do would be to save you some time. Don't bother searching for father, I ended his life the same night I took yours. You would have killed him yourself anyways; the thirst __**is**__ unbearable isn't it? No need to thank me…_

_Victoria _

Bella's eyes became hazy, filming over with anger and resentment as she slunk down into the kitchen chair nearest to her. She began to shake, the fury building up inside of her dangerously. Grief overshadowed her and she couldn't keep herself from sobbing desperately, no tears escaping from her eyes. When she'd woken up earlier, she knew she wasn't completely alone and some part of her took joy in the fact that Charlie was still alive, although he had lost her, he still had his life. Now that his life had been taken along with hers she felt as if she really had nothing. Somehow Edward's memory had slowly faded into a dream and she felt as if she were in love with a ghost. Shallow cries escaped from her lifeless lungs, echoing off of the kitchen walls hauntingly. Her chest ached, sore and tight from her emotional day. She watched the sky darken outside numbly, with open eyes, unable to cry anymore. Slowly, the light dimmed into a shadow of black around her and she laid there, her body stiffening into stone. That's when she noticed the rain, falling in thick sheets from the black and grey clouds of the monotonous sky. She opened her mouth slightly as cries threatened to spill out but choked them back, unable to allow herself anymore pain. Her lips, still parted, murmured something softly, so low no human ear could ever hear, "Goodbye…"

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**Hello Again, I think I did really good on this chapter, but before I get to that let me just do my usual disclaimer bit first.**

**No, unfortunately for my bank account, I do NOT own any of Twilight. I am merely here to entertain you.**

**This chapter is still a bit short...but I have a short attention span and I can't write for much longer than that.**

**But guess what? That just means MORE chapters...**

**Anyways, PLEASE REVIEW! I really appreciate people alerting this story, it's awesome but if you could also leave a good comment, just to encourage me along that would be great...**

**Thank's for those of you who have been reviewing! Feel free to ask me any questions you'd like. I will try to answer them at the end of my chapters!**

**You know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**


	5. Note From the Author!

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey guys, thanks so much for your reviews I really, really appreciate them all!

I know it seems a bit far fetched that Alice didn't see any of this coming, but the reason why I decided to make it this way is because Edward wanted a clean break for him and Bella. In result, Alice was not keeping such a close eye on her. Since Victoria changed her RIGHT after he left her in the woods alone Bella was dead before she could even see it coming and since she is now a vampire, she has no more future in Alice's eyes.

Also, when she says goodbye at the end of this chapter, it's meant to symbolize her final goodbye to her old life. She is having to let go of the fact that she can never go back, and truthfully she questions herself on why she ever wanted to be changed. Now that she has lost it all, she is finally able to understand why Edward had objected to her being changed for so long. The feeling of loneliness is one that will never subside…

If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask!

PS: Maybe if you guys give me up to 20 updates tonight I will put up another chapter…but only if I get another 4 updates, no repeats, ONE vote per reader! That's cheating!

You know you love me,

AlexandraP


	6. Chapter 4: Thirst

Bella tried to rid her mind of Victoria's scent, fighting desperately to resist the toxic instincts she now felt surging through her body. That's what the old Bella would do; forgive and forget. _Don't be a coward Bella, _the vampire part of her screamed. The voice reverberated piercingly off the walls of her mind, urging her to fight back. _Were even now, it's not worth it, _the old Bella whispered. "Shut up," she shrieked, slamming her fists down onto the kitchen table furiously. The voices silenced themselves, slinking back into the crevices of her mind until next time. Her body trembled with pent up anger and she pushed her chair back from the table sharply, unwilling to admit her newfound thirst. The pit in her stomach seemed to grow by the minute, as she fought against the animal's hunger reflex. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Eventually she was going to have to eat and she knew it was only a matter of time. The reasonable side of her mind began to plead with her.

Bella sighed in defeat and walked over to the refrigerator in search of something to eat. She spotted a pack of raw steaks in the meat drawer and took them out of the fridge reluctantly. Dropping them onto the kitchen counter carelessly, she stood back and stared at the flesh in front of her eyes. After a few moments, still contemplating what she was about to do, she lurched forward hastily, ripping the plastic from the Styrofoam plate. Her hands grabbed one of the steaks roughly and she tilted her head back, twisting the meat over her open mouth. Blood slowly trickled between her parted lips and she gagged, not ready for the taste. Everything she used to be told her to stop, but the monster inside of her needed her to keep going. Begrudgingly she forced herself to swallow the crimson liquid and she could feel the burning in the bottom of her throat beginning to subside. Bella closed her eyes in relief, happy that it was working. Once she had finally drained the steak of everything within it, she moved on to the next piece, repeating the same process until she had sucked each and every slice of meat dry. The burning of hunger within her finally subsided and she slumped down to the floor, exhausted from fighting it.

She lay down on top of the smooth, tile floor and stared up at the ceiling as reflections of Edward played through her head. Her mind drifted back to the times when she had so stubbornly fought with him to change her. She knew now how right he'd been, it _was_ a _nightmare_ and she felt like such a fool. The time drifted by slowly and she was unable to fall asleep, unable to pass the night away. She depended on blood to survive now and yes, she was beautiful. But beauty seemed such an insignificant thing now that she was doomed to spend eternity in loneliness. Her lifeless heart ached for his company and she longed for him to be there with her, passing the time away. Life for eternity seemed like a curse now that she had no one to share it with and she suddenly resented herself for having been so naïve. Edward would be ashamed of what she had become, even now, as a vampire, she felt as if she did not belong. She ran her fingers along the kitchen floor once more and rose to her feet stealthily, a sudden need for a shower overtaking her.

She turned the knob of the shower all the way over and watched with gratification as steam began to roll off of the burning hot water. Her hands worked over her clothing efficiently, peeling off her bloody, ripped t-shirt and dirt stained jeans. She climbed into the bathtub, grateful to finally relax and sat under the stream of water, hugging her knee's to her chest. Her eye's closed in response, feeling the tension lift up off of her body slowly. The water turned brown as it ran down the drain, carrying the filth from her body along with it. She curled her body up even tighter and leaned against the side of the shower wall for support. She hadn't even noticed when the water finally ran cold, her body matched the icy temperature of the water and she had to force herself just to leave from the comfortable position. Nothing seemed real anymore as she stood from her place inside of the bathtub, numb to all emotion. With one hand she wiped a streak of vapor away from the bathroom mirror, ready to face what she had become. Her eyes widened in shock at the colorless white of her body, her human shade of skin having been dark in comparison to how she looked now. She remembered the terrible burgundy Edward's eye's had turned when he was hungry and imagined her eyes must have looked very much the same only earlier today, but she found herself admiring the familiar golden coloring that tinted them now, a color she had grown very partial to. Her lips stood out considerably against her fair skin, a deep shade of red. To her own astonishment, her hair had grown to the middle of her back, wild with big, loose curls. When she looked into the mirror, she didn't see her face anymore, she didn't see Bella. The monster she had become was beautiful and strange.

Bella finally tore her eyes away from her strange reflection, forcing herself out of her trance and walked across the hallway to her bedroom. She quickly got dressed and finished packing the rest of her things, unable to stay in the house any longer. Her feelings of attachment began to grow stronger and she felt that if she didn't leave now, she would never be able to. Things were different, and she had to get away. She dug around in her nightstand drawer anxiously, searching for the money she had hidden away for a rainy day. Once she'd found the roll of bills, she placed it in her duffle bag on top of her clothing and zipped it shut, finally ready to leave. She strode across the living room floor gracefully and thrust the front door open, glancing behind her shoulder reluctantly, taking one last look at the place she'd grown to know as her home.

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**I DON'T own Twilight...**

**So, it took me awhile to finish the last of this chapter, I wasn't really sure how I should end it. But I think I made the right decision. Hopefully the next chapter will be more action filled. I am going to write the next chapter from the same place as I left off in the introduction...if you're confused...go back and read the introduction again. Basically I am hopping six months forward. **

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! **

**Also, recommend my story to anyone and everyone, the more the merrier -! **

**You know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**


	7. Chapter 5: Reunion

Bella stared longingly at the moon, basking in its brilliant silvery glow, now illuminating the still forest beneath it. Her long, dark hair blew gently in the wind and she continued to stare into the midnight black sky. The silence of the desolate woods surrounded her and she hummed softly, hearing the notes of his lullaby echo off of the branches above her.

She had spent many quiet nights alone in the woods outside of his house, waiting and longing for them all to return. The sound of a car door slamming shut pulled Bella out of her trance and she flew quickly, hiding underneath one of the giant, green ferns nearest to her. Her liquid honey eyes widened in shock as she watched the Cullen house closely, anticipating who had finally come home. She instinctively stopped her breathing, her body stiffening into a stone, statue as she set her eyes upon the vehicle; _Edward_. He gracefully exited the familiar silver Volvo and began to stride towards the house. A small breeze blew through the trees once more and she noticed his nostrils twitch slightly. In an instant he had frozen, his eyes now anxiously scanning the forest; he had caught on to her scent. His eyes wandered about the hidden confinements of the dark forest carefully until his gaze finally shifted, landing upon her. Bella felt her still heart flutter and she looked down quickly, attempting to avoid those penetrating eyes. Her legs reacted instinctively, moving quickly to get her away from the ghost pretending to be Edward. She could hear his quick footsteps behind her but she trudged forward anyways, knowing he would catch her soon enough, despite her newfound speed. A pair of strong hands grasped her neck, confirming her previous thoughts, and easily lifted her into the air, forcing her against a tree. She closed her eyes tightly, afraid to see his beautiful face. Panic shot into her icy veins, saturating her entire body and she kept very still, careful not to provoke him; she knew her scent was foreign. Her hands moved up to his slowly, gently wrapping around his wrists, eager to touch his skin once again and a pained expression masked her face as she finally forced her eyes to open. She looked into his eyes hopefully and waited for him to recognize her. His wonderful, marble face twisted up in confusion, not sure of what he was seeing. Bella's fingers lingered on his hands still and he pulled them away, setting her back onto the ground. He backed away from her slightly, bringing a hand underneath of his eyes, as they looked back at her, utterly terrified.

She turned her back on him, walking forward slowly and she thought she heard him whisper her name. His gentle footsteps followed behind her and she quickened her pace, unable to find any words. Her mind fought with the concept of Edward's presence, struggling to accept that he was real. The thought of this all being a hallucination killed her and she suddenly found herself running; desperate to escape any pain. Her legs kicked into full gear, propelling her even further into the forest, until she finally came to a halt, in front of the Cullen house. She flew at the building quickly, banging her hard fists into the sides of it, furious for her misery. Her legs kicked out sporadically, denting and crushing the siding as she kneed it with lethal force. Edward's fast hands came from behind her, restraining her by the wrists. She struggled with him momentarily, thrashing against his powerful grip. His muscular body pressed up against hers and she grew rigid, shocked by the sudden touch. It had been so long since she'd felt the sensation of his body against hers. She choked back the sobs threatening to betray her and relaxed, letting her body slump against his. Her knees gave in and he moved down to the ground with her, still holding her from behind. The low, soothing sound of his voice entered her ears,

"Bella..." Her voice cracked roughly inside of her throat, as she fought for the strength to speak. Edward continued to murmur soothing sounds into her ears and paused momentarily before continuing softly, humming her lullaby this time. The sound of the song pushed her over the edge, driving the cries from within her chest. Dry sobs racked her body and she shivered violently in his granite arms. He rocked her small body gingerly, moving her to sit on his lap. She welcomed the gesture warmly and curled up into a small ball against his chest, taking in his intoxicating scent, her cries having subsided due to his comforting presence. Edward lowered his lips to her ear, his voice speaking smoothly,

"Who did this to you?" His voice sounded suddenly very angry and her body stiffened at his question, reluctant to answer him immediately. She merely shook her head stubbornly, unable to tell him the truth. He sighed impatiently, clearly frustrated at her lack of cooperation and she shook her head once more, refusing to speak. Edward growled and cupped her chin in one of his hands gently, forcing her to look at him,

"Bella, please, don't be difficult," he scolded her. His eyes glistened in the faint moonlight, as he continued to stare into her eyes, a concerned look on his face. She looked away from his eyes briefly, attempting to break his gaze but he only stared at her harder, silently begging her to reply. Her hands retracted from his chest slowly and she pushed herself off of him. As she stood up, she turned away and let her thick hair fall in front of her face, hiding the pained look that now painted her delicate features. She crossed her arms defensively, unsure of what to say. Anger filled her as she thought of his sudden protectiveness and she found herself fighting the urge to scream at him. Where had he been six months ago? She spun around quickly, walking towards him as she spoke,

"Don't be difficult," she mocked him hatefully, clearly exasperated, "_You_ _left me_." The last words pierced through the night air sharply. Edward's face grew instantly sullen but she couldn't stop, the words had poured from her mouth like blood gushing from a wound. He stood from his place on the forest ground, his jaw clenched tightly as he worked to calm himself. The lids of his eyes clamped shut and his face slowly softened. He spoke to her anxiously; the tone of his voice sad,

"Bella, I would have never," he stumbled through his words, "Had I any idea she was going to..." He growled loudly, irritated at his own foolishness. His eyes flickered open and locked in with hers.

"She killed Charlie…Edward," she whispered painfully, trying not to re-live the memory. The emotion on his face hurt her insides and she wrapped her arms around herself even tighter, afraid the burning would sear right through her. She backed up slightly, unsure of what to do. The agonizing look on his face contorted even further and she stopped in her tracks, not wanting to upset him. His beautiful face darkened,

"Bella…I—I'm so sorry" the words came out of his mouth slowly as he struggled to console her, "I promise you Bella, when I find her, she _will _pay."

Her heart wrenched at the thought of him leaving her again and she grew frightened, not liking his gruesome suggestion,

"No, please, just…" her voice trailed off, "None of it matters anymore," she concluded with a sigh. His face contorted sourly, as if she had insulted him,

"Of course it matters. Bella this is all _my fault_, I will never forgive myself for leaving you." The tone in his voice was full of guilt. Bella shook her head slowly, looking from his eyes and back to the ground shyly,

"It's too late, Edward, killing Victoria won't fix any of this, it won't fix _me_…" she bit her bottom lip nervously, anticipating his reaction. He moved towards her slowly, his eyes fierce with determination,

"Am I too late to fix _us_?" His face was painted with concern as he studied her own with a burning intensity. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion,

"What kind of ridiculous question is that," she asked in awe.

"Is it really so ridiculous? After how badly I've hurt you, it seems, to me, the only question that could possibly make any sense," he responded quickly, his words rushing from his mouth at an impossible speed. She glared at him for a moment, amazed at his selflessness,

"Isn't it obvious? I've been coming to your house _every night_ for the past _six months_ and you're asking me if it's too late?" Bella rolled her eyes and continued, "Edward Cullen you are impossible." He was silent for a few moments as he contemplated her truthful response. A small, half smile played at the edges of Edward's lips and he stared back at her, clearly amused by her answer. She scoffed at the expression on his face, frustrated that he'd manipulated her to answer such a silly question.

"Ugh. Don't look so surprised," she spat, "You already knew the answer to that question and you know it." The smile on his face disappeared,

"Did I," he asked innocently. She shot him a look of disapproval and crossed her arms in a defensive manner,

"Be serious. Please," she begged sincerely. His facial expression stayed the same,

"I am," he argued immediately, a humorless look on his face. Bella sighed in defeat.

"Sure."

Edward watched her closely as she fidgeted with the hem of her top in attempt to distract herself from the current frustration. He shifted towards her smoothly, not wanting to aggravate her temper even further. She lifted her head up to look at him, a worn look in her eyes. As he slowly closed the space between him he took both of her hands, gently raising them to rest against his chest. Bella tilted her head reluctantly and stared into his warm, golden eyes.

"I'm sorry that I upset you. I just wanted to make sure you still love me before I did this." Her forehead creased in confusion as she tried to solve the meaning of his words. She felt a flicker of shock inside of her mind as she realized what he had meant and in an instant his lips were moving against hers; eagerly, desperately clinging, unwilling to let go. Relief flooded her body as she shaped her lips with his own and the fingers of his hands tangled themselves in her thick hair. Edward used no self restraint as he kissed her, digging his lips into her own viciously. She'd almost forgotten she wasn't a human anymore and she grinded her body into his even further, suddenly grateful that she was a vampire. The old Bella couldn't lose control but the new one _could_. Their breathing became ragged as they moved together rhythmically, enjoying the familiar sensation of being in each other's arms. Edward pulled away from her momentarily and brushed his fingers against her cheek,

"I've missed this," he whispered softly. Even now that she was a vampire, the sound of his velvety voice still made her dizzy. She smiled slightly, working to compose herself,

"Me too." She removed one of her hands from his own and touched his lips softly, trying to absorb his beautiful face, feature by feature. The strong, angular lines of his jaw and his perfectly shaped lips; everything was exactly the way she remembered. He caught the wrist of her hand lightly and moved his face closer to hers, forcing her to look him in the eyes,

"I've hurt you. Bella, I can never change what I did, but I promise you, I will _never_ leave you again. That is, if you still want me…" His voice sounded determined and a pained look twisted his beautiful features.

"Edward…" her voice cracked, unable to reply. The tone of his voice made her chest ache and she suddenly felt the need to protect him from the guilt. He leaned down to kiss her once more, interrupting her silence. She broke free for air and fought to find the words,

"Of course I want you, I will _always_ want _you_." She pressed her forehead against his, breathing heavily.

"I thought I could leave. I thought if I could just make you forget me, you would be safer somehow. I thought I would be able to move on, once I knew you weren't in danger anymore." She cringed at the memory of that night in the woods; the same night Victoria had changed her and the last night she had seen Edward. The pain of his absence burned slightly in the pit of her stomach and she forced it deeper, unwilling to remember the feeling.

"Please, Edward," she groaned. "I don't want to think about it. I don't care anymore. I'm just glad you're back, it's all I've wanted." She shoved her forehead against his even further, willing him to stop. He moved quickly, her face now secured tightly between his hands.

"I don't deserve you…but I can't live without you. I love you Bella and if I am what you want, I certainly won't argue. You can have me. You've _always _had me." His words came out in a melodic rush and flowed through her ears pleasantly. She pulled away, just far enough to wrap her arms around his neck and squeezed him firmly; she was finally home.

**I know it's been a really long time since I have last updated and I apologize! I have been swamped with school. I have four days left and then I graduate so finals have been bogging me down! Not to mention I got super stumped on my dialogue in this chapter…so if it truly sucks, I'm so sorry! I was kind of pressed to get this up because I know I've been making you guys wait awhile. If you have any tips on dialogue, that would be great because I was so worried I wouldn't get their characters right…I didn't want to ruin the Edward and Bella moment! So anyways, I will try and get another chapter up soon, but please be patient, I am busy and I work on the weekends!**

**You know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**

**PS**

**As always REVIEW!! **


	8. Chapter 6: I Still Want You

Edward uttered his words into the phone quickly, his tone urgent. He looked at her as he spoke and she smiled at him briefly, still unable to believe he was really with her.

"Thank you Alice. Will you put Carlisle on the phone now, please? I told you, she's fine. Yes Alice." He rolled his eyes at her, annoyed by the ongoing interrogation. His forehead smoothed out in relief and she guessed Alice must have finally handed the phone off to Carlisle. His voice changed as he spoke to his "father" about the new arrangements.

"We will be on the first plane to Alaska tomorrow. Don't worry, I will. Ok." He paused momentarily and sighed in exhaustion, "Tell Alice to quit worrying. Alright, see you then." Bella chuckled to herself; Alice was so persistent.

"Same old Alice…" she stated instantly. Edward nodded at her in agreement,

"Yes of course. But _really,_ she worries too much." His face twisted up in disgust as he thought of their conversation.

"I don't blame her. I'd be worried too. You know I'm a magnet for destruction." Edward smirked at her response,

"I suppose you are. But you're much less breakable now. It's not like she needs to worry about your physical safety. Although, I don't think I'd put it past you to attract us an even greater threat of danger." She snorted at his remark, unable to deny its truth. Edward's face went blank and he looked at her with sudden seriousness. She drew back at the expression on his face, unsure of what was wrong. He strode towards her calmly and tucked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. His eyes bore into hers curiously and she stared back, urging him to speak.

"Edward, what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" Her voice came out in a mere whisper. He continued to stare at her in silence, tracing her face with his golden eyes. She looked around nervously, feeling uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze.

"_Edward_." She spoke his name once more, becoming impatient. His eyes lit up, as if he had been pulled back to reality and he closed his eyes, opening them back up quickly.

"I'm sorry. It's just that it's been so long since I've seen you. You've really changed a lot; I needed to memorize your face again." He spoke to her sincerely and she melted at his response, surprised that she was still desirable to him, even as a monster.

"I have? I didn't think I looked that different. I still feel like plain old Bella, minus the clumsiness." He sighed, annoyed at her response.

"You have always been beautiful to me Bella, _vampire_ or _not_. But you look significantly different; in a _good_ way," he reassured her. If she could blush she would. She looked at the ground shyly and his hand shot up fluidly, lifting her chin up so that she was looking him in the eyes again.

"You were worried I wouldn't want you anymore…am I right?" He asked her the question softly, as if he could barely speak the words. She nodded her head up and down reluctantly, afraid of his reaction.

His voice came out in a low growl,

"Bella, that is ridiculous." She shuddered at the harsh tone of his voice and wriggled in his grip. He locked his hand around her chin even further, bringing her face to rest only a few inches from his own.

"Nothing has changed. My feelings for you run as strong as they did the first day I laid eyes on you. Don't ever think any different." He crushed his lips against her urgently, and pulled her rigid body to press tightly against his own. She breathed into his mouth heavily, running her hands through his hair. He tugged at her bottom lip with his teeth gently and she pulled away to look at him, a surprised expression on her face. A crooked smile spread across his mouth, revealing his perfect teeth and he chuckled melodically.

"Less breakable, remember?" He reminded her playfully. Bella reached up to touch her bottom lip and grinned at him sheepishly.

"I'm still getting used to the aggressiveness. But it won't take long, I think I like this side of you." She laid her head upon his chest and Edward wrapped his arms around her protectively, holding her in place.

"If you don't mind me asking, exactly _how _am I different?" The question escaped her mouth suddenly as she began to grow more curious about her appearance. The only time she'd actually seen herself was the last time she was in Charlie's house and she wondered if she had changed since then too. Edward began quietly,

"Well, for one, your lips are very red now. They used to blend in with your face, but now they stand out, which only further reminds me of how much I enjoy kissing you." Bella could feel her stone, cold face growing hot as he continued, stroking her hair with one hand gently.

"Not to mention your hair. It's so _long_. I've never seen anything like it. Our hair usually doesn't grow like that, but it seems as if during your change it only grew longer." His voice was full of amazement as he explained.

"And your body, Bella, not many female vampires catch my eye, but you…_you _definitely catch my eye. If you were amazing before, you are very much amazing now." She could feel a smile forming on her lips as he openly gaped at her physical attributes. His voice grew serious.

"But Bella, your beauty is not what keeps me. It is your heart, your wonderful, sincere heart. The one that is able to love me the way you do. You could be an utter mess and I would still love you." She buried her face in his neck affectionately and kissed his marble skin lightly.

"I do love you. I love everything about you. You are my life." Bella spoke to him passionately, attempting to match the sincerity of his words. It was true, he was her life, but nothing ever sounded as good when she said it. Immortal or not, she didn't have the way with words that Edward had. He squeezed his arms around her even tighter, lifting her off the ground slightly. He nuzzled his face into her hair and breathed in her scent gratefully. Bella sighed sadly as another question came to mind.

"Do I still…you know smell the same?" She rolled her eyes at the sound of her own question, feeling embarrassed to have asked it. Edward laughed softly and leaned away to look at her face once more. He answered her with an amused look on his face,

"Actually, no. Don't get me wrong though, you still smell wonderful, just less…human." Bella groaned in disappointment, looking away from his face.

"So, I just smell…normal to you now?" Edward narrowed his eyes at her and kissed her lips quickly before answering.

"You are no less desirable, if that's what you mean. But it doesn't matter Bella, I love you all the same." He brushed the side of her face, tracing the outline of her lips with his thumb. "You silly, impossible girl." She sighed, feeling embarassed by her questions and looked into his eyes.

"Sorry. I was just curious. I promise I won't ask anymore questions." She smiled at him weakly, attempting to seem happy. Not that she wasn't happy; but hidden deeply behind all of her questions was the constant worry that Edward would want someone else now that she wasn't human, now that she wasn't _fragile_. His beautiful features twisted into a frown as he looked down on her small form.

"What can I do to make you believe me?" His words were filled with anguish and desperation as he asked his question. She shook her head stubbornly.

"Nothing, I believe you. I'm sorry I made you think otherwise. I just worry. You know me." He studied her with weary eyes for a moment and finally composed himself.

"Please, Bella, for me, will you just stop worrying. There's nothing to be worried about. I am _yours_." He held her small face in between his hands now and stared deeply into her eyes as he uttered the last words. She hugged him to her firmly, never wanting to let go.

"Let's go home," she whispered. Edward pulled away from their embrace and took her hand in his own, squeezing it slightly. He flashed his beautiful smile, melting her from the stone cage her body now took the form of.

"I thought you'd never ask."

**Hey Guys sorry this chapter is short...I have been so busy. I graduated this weekend and now I am trying to get back into the synch of doing nothing. But I have more time to write...so that's good news! **

**I do not own any of the Twilight series and unfortunately I probably don't write as well either...but I sure do give it a shot.**

**I hope you enjoy!**

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**you know you love me,**

**AlexandraP**


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